We were compensated for this post. All thoughts are our own. I don’t remember much of my childhood. It was a lovely childhood, very happy and not traumatic or anything, I just don’t remember it. However, more often than not, I recall things that weren’t there, but not in a whiny or pity party way. For example, I recall not practicing anything. Now that I have children I know the struggle of ensuring that your kids practice things. They need to practice whatever sport they play, their studies and they need to engage with their friends. Life is practice and error. With The Miracle Season being released it’s worth refreshing just how important practice and mastery are to people of any age.

First up, do you know the story behind The Miracle Season? I remember seeing the reports of this in the news. A high school team’s star volleyball player, Caroline Found is tragically killed and that fact puts their legacy and final season for the seniors at stake. The movie reminds us that there was more to that story. “Line” as the team called her was also considered to be the heart of the team. She was enthusiastic, vivacious, a team leader and a team player, selfless in her acts on and off the court.

Not surprisingly the team got off to a rocky start that next season. However, it’s what they did next that warrants the lesson. They got down to brass tax, accepted where they were, what happened to their friend and how they could continue their success as a team. The trailer for the film is great and it seems like a role that Helen Hunt relishes in playing. I look forward to seeing it in theaters when it comes out April 6.

After the kids realized that their captain wasn’t coming back and after a tough love talk from their coach they hunkered down and practiced. The more you practice the greater are the chances that you’ll master whatever it is you’re practicing. This could be basketball, volleyball, chemistry, math, Excel cheerleading, karate, chess, Spanish, cooking or whatever. To some folks there might be things in the previous sentence that doesn’t belong. However, practice and the eventual goal of mastering whatever ‘it’ is, has no boundaries. Practice is not just for whatever sport you’re playing after school.

Homework is practice. It’s math practice. It could also be English practice, writing practice or reading practice. As a kid it was a task and a half getting me to practice anything. I didn’t want to go to basketball practice, I forget the reason, I just remember not wanting to go. I didn’t want to go to swimming practice. Again the reason is far down the memory hole.

As a parent we engage in practice with our kids. That’s the daily after school practice with their homework. I’m out there with them on the basketball and tennis court. I don’t expect them to master everything, but I expect them to practice anything that they’re actively doing. They might not be interested in basketball next season and that’s fine. Whatever sport they’re doing we’ll engage in their practice as much as we’re able to.

I do know that they’ll be practicing the art of learning at least through 12^th grade, so we’ll practice whatever they’re learning with them also. Some of those topics are consistent, like math, English, a second language or more. Those are things that they can master and mastery is just another way to define practice over a longer period of time.